Lidl explains policy to refuse service to unaccompanied minors in Navan store

A decision by Lidl to refuse service to unaccompanied unaccompanied under-18s has caused a stir locally with many parents taking to social media to voice their unhappiness at the policy.

One parent writing on a local community facebook forum last week described how she asked her son to go into the shop to pick up something as she wasn't feeling well, only for him to return to say he had been denied service.

In a response to this correspondent who encountered the same issue when his daughter was refused service, a spokesperson issued this reply.

"Over the last two years our Navan store experienced high volumes of underage presence in store and around the store grounds, this posed a significant Health and Safety risk and following store inspections it was recommended from Health and Safety authorities that action was taken to combat this.

"Our Navan store and others country wide introduced a policy where all underage customers must be accompanied by an adult. However, all stores will look to cater for underage customers where possible.

"I apologise for the inconvenience this caused at the time and how this may have made you and your daughter feel. It was not an action taken to refuse your daughter service at an individual level but a wider policy implemented by a number of our stores."